


Hidden Thrills

by Octodog98



Series: You Call Me Monster (Cause That's My True Name) [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gang World, Alternate Universe - Psychopaths, Betrayal, Crazy Baekhyun, Crazy Kyungsoo, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Gang Lord Baekhyun, Gang Violence, Investigations, Mutant Powers, Psychological Trauma, Science Experiments, You know what powers they are EXO-L, lucky one au, monster au, slight codename: kids next door au, what is happening i just wanted a baekhyun smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-13 23:45:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7143389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Octodog98/pseuds/Octodog98
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>EXO- The biggest gang in Seoul. Led by notorious criminal Byun Baekhyun, this group of individuals has terrorized the community since their outbreak from the MAMA Facilities. They are armed and dangerous, last said to have been seen along the outskirts of Gangnam District. There are nine of them, each with their own special degree of mental illness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. the numbers (especially number 4)

I grew up watching them on TV. They started off as well known science experiments; the EXO project from MAMA Facilities. There were originally twelve boys with extraordinary abilities that ranged anywhere from teleportation to controlling time. We saw all their faces on the Discovery Science Channel live as they grew from small children to teenagers, from teenagers to young men. I think in time everyone simply forgot that they were once someone's sons, someone's cousins, someone's nephews and grandsons. In time these twelve individuals lost their names and soon became known as numbers 99, 7, 00, 1, 10, 4, 61, 21, 12, 68, 88, and 94. They were always shown in that exact order, from oldest to youngest. Their faces were a blur. Their numbers, however, became icons. 

Number 88, for instance, was a particular hit among the ladies. He had teleportation abilities and a killer smirk, but was known to be temperamental due to his bipolar disorder. There were several conspirators that went on further to guess that he had DID, or Dissociative Identity Disorder. If he did, the scientists kept it under wraps. 

Another famous number was 61, for his general jest and wit, along with a superb ear for instruments and music. When they were allowed free time within the facility, the audience would watch him compose music. A disclaimer that would always pop up whenever he did so was: _All sounds and music are taken from the MAMA-Safe Musical Library, so as not to upset the numbers within the facility once they hear these noises_.  _We wouldn't want them to be sent for reprocessing._

 _Reprocessing_ , I remembered thinking as I sat next to my family on the couch, looking at the screen absently. _Isn't that something used for robots?_

Number 12 was recognizable for his soulful vocal chords, which were used to amuse the viewers of the channel during holidays and special events. Aside from that, not much was said about the boy. I guess he was only worth what he could be used for. 

The one nobody paid attention to was Number 4. But I was watching him. I saw the blank, dark expression in his eyes whenever the scientists or "Doctors" were near. I saw the never-changing frown on his face, the forever down-turned pout in his rosy lips. He never spoke a word to anyone and never posed a threat to anyone's safety, but somehow I could just tell. I knew that he would cause trouble. I knew that he would break free. And honestly, I found myself wanting him to succeed someday. 

Until that someday came in the form of terror on the streets, death tolls by the hundreds and a reign of crime on the city of the Seoul. MAMA Facilities had been destroyed from the inside out, and the numbers had broken free. They now had names and faces and identities for all. 

I should have paid more attention to the rest of their names, but the only one that rang in my ears as the newscaster went on was **Byun Baekhyun.**  

Number 4. My Number 4. 

Well, he wasn't exactly mine but. Still. 

The headlines flashed all the crimes they had committed so far as they roamed the streets: arson, theft, assault, reckless driving, fraud, public intoxication, and indecent exposure. What I noticed was the lack of rape, murder and manslaughter. I mean, weren't they supposed to be dangerous criminals? Why were they not committing the most heinous crimes? Why were they only committing crimes that anyone would commit? Were they even dangerous at all? 

Yes, that was a bit of a stretch. You can't blame a girl for trying though. 

Why was I so quick to defend this group of individuals that were formerly known as the numbers with a lowercase n, and that were now known as the notorious gang of criminals called EXO that ran drugs through the city? Why did I defend people like that? 

Well, to be frank, they were hot. 

... Yes, that is what I said. I am not some overly good Samaritan that claims to feel sorry for the numbers because they were so oppressed in the MAMA Facilities, nor am I a lovesick girl that wishes to be united with her bad ass band of criminals (especially number 4). No, I am not delusional. I am just thirsty and in need of some eye candy to quench said thirst. And EXO just happens to be really good eye candy. So there it is. 

Kim Iseul is a hoe for EXO. But only in her imagination, so if you could not alert them of who I am or any of my contact information, that would be great, thanks.

Anyways, this is how it started. This is how EXO was born. And this is also how my obsession for them became my greatest downfall. 

Because if you fantasize about someone enough, at some point in your life, they are bound to show up at your workplace with a pet snake and bag full of stolen cash. 

 

 

 

 


	2. Your Clear Eyes Become the Sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The titles from now on will be lyrics from the album of some sort. If I get desperate I may have to use another album, but I'll try and be creative. This title is from Cloud 9.

It started off as a normal day at work.

I worked as a bank teller in Citibank Korea. For the most part, it was a pretty great job. I was off on the weekends, the job tasks were simple and the atmosphere was peaceful. Who ever said you would end up working at a fast food restaurant if you dropped out of college? This is great. 

There were few customers today, so I was busy eavesdropping on my coworkers as I awaited the chance to be useful. My coworkers lives were very complicated things filled with stories of betrayal, affairs and broken hearts. They would sell great in the romance section of Barnes and Noble, but such things were meaningless to me.

Love? What is that? Does it pay bills, provide meals and work a nine-hour job? Did it comfort me when my family turned their backs on me all those years ago? Will it visit me as I stand on my feet that have been hurting for hours, standing and watching and waiting? Will it take all my problems and debt away? No? Then I have no use for it. Such was my mindset that kept me alone, uncared for and often called the Citibank's very own modern age spinster. I embraced the title wholeheartedly. My eyes were beginning to go blurry from staring at the same spot for so long. I was watching the patterns of the tiles on the floor, half out of boredom, half out of fatigue. I had not slept well last night after the phone call from my mother. She had once again reminded me what a failure and disappointment I was to the Kim family, and had once again told me not to return until I had re-enrolled myself into university. I was silent the entire time, straight-faced and tight-lipped, trying not to let my anger get the best of me. She was the one that was sending me clothes and food every once in a while, after all. My father simply forgot I existed, or he no longer cared.

The sound of the front door opening brought me out of my thoughts abruptly, and I looked up as the person walked up to my coworker Eunhye's counter, placing his delicate looking fingers on the space in front of her. He tapped them rhythmically, almost meticulously, as he smiled at her warmly. Silver rings adorned those fingers, making them look too expensive to behold.

The other two behind him were much less friendly, both standing a few feet back and staring at everyone behind the counters darkly. The taller one with red hair was holding a duffel bag on one shoulder, and a hand in his pocket. The shorter one was preoccupied with the snake wrapped around his shoulders, petting its head affectionately before turning to glare straight into my eyes because I was caught looking. I was too shocked to move or look away.

"Excuse me," the boy at the counter said in a soft, melodic tone. "I'd like to make a withdrawal." His voice was unfamiliar to my ears but there was something about the inflection of his words that made me turn to look at him. Eunhye was oblivious, as were the other bank tellers, but I was not. I recognized him almost immediately. Blank, dark eyes that did not match his warm smile. Rosy lips that held the slightest trace of snarl. It was him. It was Number 4.

I had been staring too long, because the other two were now looking at me curiously, and there was no longer an escape route. I had been noticed because I had an unwavering stare that provoked others. My mother always told me that the way I stared at people would bring me trouble, but I never believed her until it happened.

Short stuff with the snake was staring me down intently. And then he was walking towards me, standing at my counter, searching my eyes for recognition. I tried to steel my expression. "Is there a problem, miss?" He asked, and I was not foolish enough to miss the threat in his tone. Number 4 looked over at us, catching my eyes, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. A dangerous criminal was standing right in front of me and subtly threatening my life right now, and all I could think was _wow, number 4 has pretty eyes._  I mean, what kind of shit is that? Did I have a death wish or something? Come on.

"Miss?" The snake whisperer repeated, sounding slightly aggravated. "I said is there a problem?" I met the pair of menacing eyes with an unfriendly stare of my own. Then I looked to the snake and back at him.

"Animals are not allowed in here," I said in a robotic tone. I mean, fuck it, what did I have to lose anyway? If I died no one would care.

He raised his eyebrows, setting his plump lips into a smirk. "Is that so? Then are you asking me to take him outside?" He was toying with me, and I was playing right into it. Let it go, Iseul. Let it go.

"I didn't ask you anything. I just said they aren't allowed," I corrected, matching his playful tone. If these idiot coworkers of mine couldn't recognize the biggest criminals in Seoul within the next minute or so, I would be a dead woman after saying such things. I could only rely on how famous the numbers were, and how fast my coworkers could catch on.

Eunhye was starting to get the picture, finally. She couldn't process his withdrawal since he didn't have a bank account, and as soon as she asked for his name instead of his account number she looked up in alarm. "Byun Baekhyun," he repeated for good measure, in case she missed it the first time. Her eyes widened and she started trembling, turning to look at me helplessly. Yeah, I think she got it.

I turned back to the boy with the snake, also known as Number 12, and gave him the best smile I could muster. "So what is it that you came in here for? Did you come in here to fool us or did you come in here to rob a bank? Which is it?" I wondered, just putting it out there for the entire room to here. The three other bank tellers in the room all looked around in alarm, finally gathering the situation since I had so loudly announced it. _Fucking idiots_ , I thought. _I'm putting myself on the line to inform you of shit you should already know._

Number 12 looked somewhat surprised at my response, turning back to look at his fellow number 61, who had his eyebrows raised as well. I realized the gravity of my mistake when Number 4 pushed 12 aside so he could stand in front of me instead, leaning as close to me as he could get over the counter. "What's your name?"

He looked just as I had always remembered, but different all the same. Clad in an expensive black blazer and matching pair of trousers, he looked like a chaebol in the purest form. His black bangs framed his face perfectly, partially concealing the dark eyes with smudges of kohl eyeliner underneath them. He had a piercing on his right ear; a silver hoop that matched his many rings. He looked like the epitome of money and power, but his face was still the same as it always had been. Regal, untimely, and sad.

Some small part of me was excited that Byun Baekhyun was asking for my name, an inconsequential college dropout with no friends and no family. I took that small part and stepped on it repeatedly, twisting the sole of my shoe around for good measure. _He is not a celebrity_ , I reminded myself. _He is a criminal_.

I wasn't stupid enough to give him my real name, so I just said "Kim Hyeri." Baekhyun smiled and I nearly had a heart attack from how beautiful he looked. I had never seen him without a frown on his face.

"Well Kim Hyeri-ssi, since you know what we're here for, why don't you go ahead and start us off?" When I stared at him blankly, his expression darkened. "Now," he demanded, his well-known frown finding his face once again.

I stared at the contours of his face for a moment, drinking them up while I took my time in defiance, then slowly moved to start taking out the money in my register. Baekhyun motioned to Number 12, who was watching the exchange with a glint in his eyes. "Chanyeol, give the lady the bag so she can help us."

The red-haired man moved quickly to stand in front of me beside Baekhyun, looking at me carefully before sliding the duffel bag on the counter so that I could reach it. "Careful with this," he said gravely, "I've already counted how much is in there." 

I moved to snatched the bag out of his hands, utterly offended that he thought I would steal from thieves, and unzipped the bag to find piles and piles of cash already in there. I looked up with a disgruntled expression. "Why are you robbing a bank when it looks as if you've already robbed five?" 

Number 61 practically growled in response. "No one asked for your opinion. We told you to empty your register," He said very precisely, articulating every word very clearly. His eyes seemed to glow with an unnatural red hue, and I knew at once that he was not playing around. "I suggest you get started." 

Number 12 was silently watching me, his snake curling and hissing around him. I didn't know much more about him than his superb singing skills, but I seemed to recall him being the strongest of the twelve numbers, and also having an affiliation with animals. That much explained his pet, and the way the snake seemed to react to my actions as if the man were controlling it. I had no doubt he was using his influence on the serpent. 

Baekhyun sighed heavily. "Why does there always have to be one that doesn't want to accept a diplomatic robbery? Why do people always need to be within an inch of death in order to listen to simple commands? What I'm saying is not hard. In fact, it's quite simple," he insisted, moving to smoothly jump over the high counter as if he were leaping a baby gate. He rested less than a foot away, close enough to touch, but also close enough to be a danger. "I just want you to put the money in the bag. As soon as you and your coworkers do that, we're good to go. No one has to die." He ended the speech with a smile, one that surely would have had most girls hook, line and sinker. 

But I was not most girls. And I had always been up for a challenge; I just needed the right opportunity. Now it was here. "Most people need to be within an inch of death to lose their self respect," I offered. "Otherwise, what use are they to anyone? No one likes a coward." 

Number 12 finally spoke up, his eyes blazing with a craze that I couldn't decipher. "Boss, don't you want to kill her? What's taking you so long? Should I do it for you?" 

Baekhyun's face came as close to mine as it could possibly get. I felt his breath on my lips; sweet and fragrant, like fresh flowers in the summer sun. I basked in the impression of his lips hovering over mine before he leaned back, black eyes glinting with curiosity. "That's strange," he commented. 

I lifted my chin, bringing my lips close to his again. I could feel the burning eyes of his conspirators and my colleagues, judging me as I shamelessly flirted with Korea's most wanted criminal. "What is?" 

He tilted his head, looking into my eyes so deeply that I felt another shiver down my spine. "You're the first human I've met that doesn't look at me with fear." 

I blinked. _What a sad statement_ , I thought. _Has everyone treated him like a monster his entire life? Has no one given him the benefit of the doubt?_ "You talk as if you aren't human," I noticed. Baekhyun looked bewitched, his eyes fluttering constantly, trying to make sense of me. 

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt this love fest but we came here to rob a bank so... before the police arrive could we get a move on, Boss?" Number 12 asked. His voice seemed to snap Baekhyun out of the spell, making him come to his senses and remember where he was. 

He looked around, staring at my coworkers angrily. "What are you all doing? Why aren't you filling up the duffel bag?" Lights popped simultaneously and sparks reigned down around us, showcasing his anger. "Hurry the fuck up before the police come. Chanyeol, take their wallets and get their names. Make sure we identify each of them thoroughly in case someone decides to play hero." 

Eunhye and the others scrambled around trying to obey Baekhyun's orders, and trying to avoid the small fireballs Chanyeol was pitching at them for being to slow at their tasks. One man got hit in the side and went down, screaming bloody murder. Number 12 turned to him in annoyance and raised his hand toward him, causing the floor beneath the man to disappear so that he sunk deep beneath the building into the dirt and the earth that were his dominion. The floor re-closed behind the man as if he were never there, and the only trace of him were the faint screams and thumps of him underneath trying to find air. 

I turned back to Baekhyun who was already staring at me with dark eyes. "What's your real name?" 

My mouth twitched. "Kim Sohee." 

His expression warped into that of a madman and before I could say anything else he had me pinned to the nearest wall, hand wrapped around my throat and squeezing. "Don't lie to me."

I gurgled, trying to say my real name but he was squeezing too hard and black spots were filling my visions. My eyeballs felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets and blood pooled from my bitten tongue. 

"Can't. Speak," I managed to get out and he tightened his grip once before releasing me with a pointed stare. Waiting. 

"Kim Iseul. That's my real name, you can check the database and everything. Jesus you have a tight grip," I coughed, my hand cupping my throat protectively as I stared at his delicate fingers. "Who would have known?" 

His right eye twitched and the light directly above us exploded, sparks burning into my skin as I shrieked. "You're a mouthy one, aren't you?" 

I could barely pay attention to anything as I was still trying to get air back into my lungs and ease the burns on my skin, but I thought I saw a hint of red and blue outside and I felt a calm wash over me again. "I could say the same to you. But it looks like your times up, _Boss_ ," I snapped, pointing to the front door. 

Baekhyun snorted. "You think I give a shit about human police? What are they gonna do to us? I could end them with a flick of my hand. They're at my mercy, and now so are _you_ , Kim Iseul." He snatched up my hand and brought it to his chest. "Because you're coming with us." 

My stomach dropped to the tile, leaving the rest of me barely standing upright. "W-what? Wait-" 

Number 61 came over with the duffel bag intact, zipped and ready to go. "We're ready to leave, Boss. Did you want to do something with the girl, or...?" 

"She's coming with us," Baekhyun repeated, eyes never leaving mine. "D.O.," he called meaningfully. 

Number 12 stepped forward and sprinkled his fingers over my face, releasing a sparkling red dust that disappeared as I inhaled it. It smelled like flowers, but what kind? What was this? 

My vision was tilting sideways and so was I. Baekhyun caught me before I fell, watching me with a delicate expression that scared me more than his anger did. He was looking at me like I was his precious jewel or some shit, and that was scary in itself. I couldn't really complain since I had brought this upon myself by being bold and flirtatious, but now that I had seen their powers first hand and had Baekhyun's hands around my throat, I was feeling something else entirely. Fear. For the first time ever, I was feeling fear when I thought of the numbers. 

A whisper in my ear alerted me that D.O. was next to me as well, staring with intrigued and crazy eyes. "Powder of poppy, in case you were wondering. Sleep well, human girl." 

I couldn't help but to sleep, hoping that it would all be a dream when I woke up next. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more like the actual first chapter, and the previous one is more like a prologue so now the story is progressing some. Stay tuned and jam out to Ex'act while you read. Enjoy!


	3. A Dreamy Reality, is this a Dream?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are still from Cloud 9 because I think that's where Kim Iseul is right now with Baekhyun (lol). Just another chapter to keep the story moving along.

So... it wasn't a dream.

I woke up in a dark room covered in cold sweat. It was dead silent and I couldn't see a centimeter in front of me. The last thing I remembered was Number 12 whispering in my ear about poppies and smelling the sweetest fragrance. Also a pair of glittering black eyes.

Those eyes haunted me as I stood from the cot I was laying on and stalked through the darkness. As my eyes adjusted it appeared I was in some sort of lab, stocked with all kinds of chemical bottles and advanced equipment. A foul smell came from the bubbling blue liquid on the Bunsen burner. It glowed in the dark, looking as if it contained the souls of good men or the powers of the Force. Either way, it stunk like nothing I had ever smelled before.

The room was very large in scale. The cot was placed along the back wall longways to make room for clusters of shelves and storage bins. I had to squint to see the shadows far ahead of me but as I weaved through the lab tables and stepped over broken glass I could see a large clear board with equations and writing on it. I could also see a large red exit sign just up ahead, illuminated in the dark. Surely it couldn't be that easy?

I stood before the door, looking out through the square glass window. The hallway was just as dim as the room I was standing in, but I could see tiny white lights along the baseboards laid out like a sort of walkway. It was better than being in this dark, stinky room.

I pulled open the door and stepped out, looking left and right. I saw no one. I played eenie meenie to figure out which way to go, and then just decided to go with my immediate instinct and stick to the right. Going left always seemed to lead to bad situations.

The hallway was getting brighter as I went along, fading from black to charcoal gray, from gray to silver, from silver to white. Eventually I came up on a door that was flooded with bright lights, and from behind it several talking voices.

"...foolish of you to bring her here. Baekhyun, you know how dangerous it is for us to get involved with humans. I realize that you're lonely and that you want to be with someone, but-"

"Are you questioning me right now, Kyungsoo? Are you challenging me?" I could clearly hear Baekhyun getting agitated at Number 12's tone, but I couldn't understand why. Why was he so adamant about bringing me here? Was it loneliness? Was it because I treated him like a normal human being instead of a monster? Would he change his opinion of me when he saw how scared I was right now?

"It isn't that he's trying to challenge you. I'm worried too, Baek. After what happened to Tao and the others-" A low voice began but Baekhyun cut him off quickly, his voice becoming dangerous. 

"Never mention his name again. Not when it's your fault that he died!" Baekhyun screamed.

The lights in the room flickered erratically and I was picturing the exact expression Baekhyun would have on his face: upper lip curled, frown lines in place, eyebrows furrowed, eyes glinting. This frown was so familiar that I could probably draw it from memory alone. I had seen him give this same face to doctors that poked and prodded at him, running their tests and trials. He gave this face to the cameras as we watched his fellow numbers give performances to keep the audience happy, which would in turn keep the doctors happy, which would keep the numbers safe from _reprocessing_ or something even worse than that. 

Baekhyun could give the worst frowns. But I liked them much better than the broken, counterfeit smiles he gave everyone in the bank. They felt wrong. False. I hated his smiles because they weren't really him. 

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't realize Baekhyun had stormed out of the brightly-lit room and now stood right in front of me, examining my face. 

"Baekhyun," I said dumbly, looking at his familiar frown and finding comfort in the expression. "Are you okay?" 

The words came out of my mouth before I could fully process what I had said. Judging by the expression on his face, I had said something no one had asked him in a long, _long_ time. I doubt he knew how to answer.

At his silence, I started fidgeting. "Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear. I just- it was dark in the lab and I didn't want to stay there..." He took two steps forward and towered over me, dark orbs swallowing me whole. "Are you okay?" I repeated. 

Baekhyun tilted his head to the side. "Why are you worrying about my well-being when you should be worried about yours?" He asked in a near whisper.

That was a good question. "I-I just, I thought maybe you-" I was looking back and forth between his eyes, trying to find words but what were words? Were they important? I just wanted to keep looking at his eyes a little bit longer, they were so pretty and-

I mentally slapped myself. _Pull it together, Kim Iseul! You think being his fan girl will save your life right now? You bumbling idiot!_

I couldn't speak. I had literally lost the ability to speak. I was no better than those terrible Big Bang fan girls that trembled before G-Dragon, screaming their lungs out until their faces grew purple. I couldn't even pull my vocal chords together to save my own miserable life. How sad. 

Then something magical happened. Something unreal. He smiled. 

No, I'm not talking about that fake, pasty, counterfeit smile he gave everyone in the bank as he was robbing them politely. No, I mean a real smile. Like, the-sun-broke-free-from-the-overhead-clouds-and-shined-on-me kind of smile. A breath-taking, overwhelming movement of just a few facial muscles to create the most wonderful thing on this planet. It was in that moment that I knew my heart was a goner. 

God this was all so fucking cheesy that I wanted to explode. 

"You're so cute," Baekhyun teased and I blushed beet red. His eyes crinkled at the corners, thinning out into twin crescent moons. 

I frowned. "I'm not trying to be cute. I'm asking if something is wrong and you're just distracting me with your perfect face- you fucker. Answer my question," I demanded, surprised by my sudden boldness. It was as if a calm washed over me and all the previous fear vanished from my entire being. In fact, I felt guilty for ever being scared. What was I scared of, this angel-faced hottie? 

His smile dimmed a bit. "Don't push your luck, Iseul. My patience is not that generous. I'll answer you when I feel like answering. For now, come with me." He held out a beautiful-fingered hand for me to take.

I reached for his hand, feeling how cold and soft it was in mine. "Where are we going?" 

"To see the place where this all started." 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, Iseul is totally in love with Baekhyun. Baekhyun is probably not in love with her yet and is keeping her around for amusement. The others have yet to be introduced but they're coming, I promise! I have a particular interest in doing story arcs for Lay, Xiumin and Chanyeol this time around (even though I'm Kai biased) so you'll probably see those stories in the series next. I love the others just as much and will pay attention to everyone because I love everyone equally. In this story, probably mostly D.O. and Baekhyun action (cause they were both bae in the Monster video). Hope you like the story so far. :D


	4. I Am the Somebody Lost in a White Fog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the past from Baekhyun's perspective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from White Noise :D 
> 
> I have spent a ridiculously long amount of time on this chapter for no reason. I hope someone still reads this lol. If not I'll write for myself.

_March 2000_

"Baekhyun, it's time to go home now." 

Baekhyun stood at the glass door, looking outside with a frightened expression. He had seen something. It looked like a woman in a white dress. 

"Mom, I don't want to go outside. Let's stay here," Baekhyun said, looking up at his mother. She wore an expression that said _not this again._ He knew that she didn't believe him. But he knew for a fact that someone had been following them for months now. He had a feeling that they were coming to take him. But what was he supposed to do when his family didn't believe him? 

"Baek, can't you see that she's tired? She just got off work. Cut her some slack, will you?" Baekhyun's older brother, Baekbeom, was fed up with his stories too. For months Baekhyun had been drawing pictures of a woman with a white dress and red sun visor. He named her the Future Lady. Though it made a creative story line for a webtoon, it was not realistic enough to be true. 

The lights in the library were starting to go out, one by one. His mother was getting ready for them to leave. His hyung was helping her pack up her things. Meanwhile, Baekhyun saw another white shadow moving outside, walking into the alley beside the library. He just couldn't come to terms with the fact that these women weren't there. They _were_ real. He could feel it. It was like they were calling to him somehow; beckoning him. He was afraid of what would happen once they caught him. 

"Baekhyun, let's go. We have to go home and feed Mongryong," His mother stated. Her tone was absolute; no arguments were to be made. Baekhyun followed Baekbeom and his mother out the door, walking towards the car and trying not to notice the white figures in the corner of his eye. 

The car started fine. It seemed Baekhyun had been worried for nothing. There were no women waiting to prey on him. He was being absolutely ridiculous, and his mother and brother knew it. Besides, the women rarely showed up when he was around light. He knew it sounded crazy, but he was only safe when there was light around. Whenever it was dark, he could see them. They would whisper his name over and over, calling for him to come to them. It made him feel like he was in a trance of some sort. Like he had no control of himself. He wasn't sure how long he could avoid them but he knew that the light would help him. 

All of a sudden the car was slowing down to a complete stop. 

"I must be out of gas," Baekhyun's mother mused. "That's just great." 

"But it isn't out of gas. The fuel gauge says it's full," Baekbeom disagreed. "It's something else."  

Baekhyun felt the same fear creeping up on him. The women were coming for him. He just knew it.

"I'm gonna check the tires," Baekhyun's mom said. "Baekbeom, stay with your brother." 

Baekhyun had to try and stop her. He reached up and held onto her arm. "Don't go, Mom. It's the bad ladies; they're waiting for us," Baekhyun pleaded, knowing that his mother was in grave danger. 

She made him let go of her, but held his hand for a few seconds. Baekhyun never realized how tiny his mother's hands were, even if he was eight years old. Such gentle, tiny hands. "Baekkie, don't worry so much. I'll only be gone for a few minutes and then I'll be right back, okay?" 

"Yeah Baek," his brother interjected, "stop being such a baby." 

His mother squeezed his fingers before letting go, opening the car door and leaving the car, slamming the door behind her.

Tears streamed down Baekhyun's cheeks and Baekbeom sighed, looking at him every now and again. "Such a baby," he muttered as he turned in his seat to wipe Baekhyun's tears. Baekhyun felt somewhat comforted at his brother's familiar touch, but nothing could soothe the ache of losing his mother. Undoubtedly by now they had taken her. For what or to where, he had no idea.

After ten minutes Baekbeom started to look nervous. He tried looking through the car windows but it was too dark to see clearly. What was taking her so long? 

Baekbeom unbuckled his seat belt, biting his lip. "I'll go check and see what the problem is. She's probably just trying to pump air into a tire and needs help. It's really dark out." 

Baekhyun started sobbing. "Do-Do-Don't go!" He hiccuped. "Please don't!"

Baekbeom reached back and hugged his brother, rubbing his back. "Don't be such a baby, Baekhyun. Nothing will happen."

His brother left the car too. And then Baekhyun was alone. 

And the ladies in white were coming for him. 

 ...

_September 2016_

He led me to a large room with hospital equipment. I recognized it immediately: the numbers common room. It was where all the numbers were kept. They slept, ate and talked there. We watched them panic and try to escape in this room. We watched them develop and shape their powers in this very room. But for Baekhyun, it meant even more. This was the place where Baekhyun lost himself.

When the numbers were first revealed to the public, they would fight the doctors at every turn. Baekhyun was the worst of the lot. When they tried to feed him, he would refuse to eat. When they tried to bathe him, he would refuse to wash. But that all changed once they introduced the _compliance serum_ ; a dark blue substance the doctors concocted to force the numbers into submission. They would forcibly strap them down to the hospital beds and stick IV's in their arms as they screamed. The blue serum would drip slowly into their systems as they screamed and screamed and screamed. But no one helped them. No one felt sorry for them. 

Number 4 took it the worst. He would thrash the longest, scream the loudest and kick until his legs and arms were bruised. It made my heart hurt watching him. 

I made the mistake of voicing this concerns for him to my family once and I went without food for two days. _The government is not to be challenged_ , my father said. _The numbers are experiments, nothing more_ , my mother said. My siblings were silent; they never stepped in for me. I was the only one of my family to feel sympathy for the numbers. I was the only person that recognized that they were once human too. 

After the serum started, the experiments began. We never saw what they did to the numbers, but when they came out of the lab their eyes were dull and unfocused. The serum turned their eyes to cold, dark blue; a symbol of submission and uniformity. The fight had even left Baekhyun, the strongest of them all.

Now Baekhyun stood, looking around the room with a haunted expression. "You know what this room is, don't you?" 

"Numbers common room," I said. "You spent most of your time here." 

"Wrong," Baekhyun said. 

What answer was he looking for? "It's where they forced you to take the compliance serum," I corrected myself. "You spent most of your time here." 

"No," Baekhyun said, walking up to me. "This is not where I spent most of my time." Suddenly the lights blazed in the conjoined room, sparks flying everywhere. I had to shield my eyes, it was so bright. 

"Everything they showed you all was a lie. The compliance serum was not all that they gave us, and this was not where we were kept most of the time. Let me show you where we really stayed when the cameras weren't rolling," Baekhyun said darkly, grabbing my arm and forcing me into the room we saw through the glass window. 

It was a small room. There was a metal chair in the middle of the floor. Above us, a panel in the ceiling was lowering. It contained several different types of head gear. They were different shapes and sizes, but I couldn't understand what they were for? 

"This is where I spent most of my time. This is the room that MAMA never advertised on television. They would cut the footage so that all you saw through this glass window was an empty room and an empty chair," Baekhyun pointed to the hospital room that we could see from here. 

"But most of the time while we sat in that goddamn hospital room we could hear someone screaming in here. We were forced to listen as each of us were taken to sit in this same fucking chair and wear these head devices. They would shock, compress or stretch our minds beyond human capacity. Eventually we became something that wasn't human at all. We became their numbers; their experiments. The whole nation would watch us and do shit to save us. This godforsaken country sat and watched as children were kidnapped and experimented on for years, and now we're the criminals? It makes me so angry!" Baekhyun screamed. "These fuckers ruined our lives." 

I stared at the head gear. There was one with needles inside it; probably to puncture their heads and poke holes in their brains. They looked like torturing devices. They _were_ torturing devices. 

Baekhyun held his head as if he was remembering exactly what those metal helmets felt like. "They call us monsters and fear us, but they created us. And I intend to show them exactly how powerful we've become."

It wasn't just a threat; it was a promise. Somehow I didn't feel fear at those words. Instead, I felt happiness.  

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope it was good. I've been working on asianfanfics during my unofficial hiatus in case anyone was wondering. I'm planning on cross-posting once I figure that out, but for now I'll send a link to my newest story. It's a Dean fanfic (because he is bae). Check it out if you want:   
> http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1160310/love-the-stars-angst-mystery-ambw-clubau-heize-deantrbl-deanfluenza


End file.
